Shruti Sneha, Pune
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government took decisive action in response to a clash between two groups in Mira Road, Thane, on the eve of the Ram temple ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya. After a violent incident in which a mob attacked a procession celebrating the consecration of the Ram temple, the Municipal Corporation, with police assistance, demolished alleged ‘illegal’ structures and encroachments in the Nayanagar area.
The pre-temple consecration procession involved vehicles carrying saffron flags, and on Sunday night, the Nayanagar police in Mira Road made 13 arrests for allegedly throwing stones at those vehicles. The 50–60 person mob attacked the procession, causing 24 injuries, four of which were serious. It was reported that one member of the mob used a knife to attack participants.
The mob has been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, intentional acts to incite religious feelings, inciting enmity between different groups, unlawful assembly, rioting, and mischief causing property damage, according to Jayant Bajbale, the deputy commissioner of police in Nayanagar.
The Maharashtra government ordered the demolition of allegedly illegal structures in the Nayanagar area in response to the incident. The police assisted the Municipal Corporation in carrying out the operation. Following the incident, the area was heavily guarded by the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), Maharashtra Security Force (MSF), and local police.
At Mira Bhayandar, Additional Commissioner of Police Shrikant Pathak urged the community to remain calm, promising to take action only against the accused. He underlined the police’s prompt action and their continued review of CCTV footage to guarantee a complete investigation.
In response, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, warned anyone trying to undermine the state’s law and order that they would face harsh penalties. Fadnavis confirmed that police had been ordered to prosecute the accused, that 13 people were already in custody, and that efforts were being made to use CCTV footage analysis to identify the remaining suspects.